Sri Lanka parties hail Supreme Court order staying elections

Many political parties of Sri Lanka hailed the 13 November verdict by the Supreme Court that stayed the government's order to go for an election on 5 January 2019.

MPs from UNP, ACMC, and JVP were seen jubilant after the verdict that was announced a little after 5pm on 13 November.

Accordingly, the stay order suspends President Sirisena's election proclamation -the gazette dissolving Parliament-till 7 December. The political parties contesting the gazette will have to be present at the Supreme Court on December 4, 5 and 6 for hearings.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that the Supreme Court Interim Order on the Dissolution of Parliament was a victory for the people. He said they salute the Judiciary and the political parties and civic organizations that came forward to defend the Constitution and democracy.

Later in a Twitter message, Ranil Wickremasinghe said : “The people have won their first victory. Let us go forward and re-establish the sovereignty of the people in our beloved country”.

Legal circles said a full bench of nine Judges is likely to sit for these hearings.

On 12 November, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court adjourned till 13 November to give its verdict on Fundamental Rights Petitions on the sudden dissolution of Parliament.

On 10 November, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena dissolved the Parliament calling for elections on January 5, and convening the new Parliament on 17 January 2019.

Political parties such as UNP, JVP, ACMC, TNA filed against the dissolution on 12 November. The court took up the cases on the same day due to a request made by President’s Counsel Kanag-Isvaran, saying that the issue is one of grave urgency.

As the proceedings were not closed on 12th, the Supreme Court adjourned till following day 13 November to give its verdict on Fundamental Rights Petitions on the dissolution. Hearings resumed at 10am on 13 November and the verdict -stay order- was announced a little after 5pm on 13 November.